


Periphery

by sephmeadowes



Category: Original Work
Genre: Coming of Age, F/M, Faeries - Freeform, Platonic Soulmates, Second Rule of Supernatural Only Club We Don't Talk About Supernatural Only Club, Supernatural Breakfast Club, The First Rule of Supernatural Only Club We Don't Talk About Supernatural Only Club, Vampires, Werewolves, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:41:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22116550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sephmeadowes/pseuds/sephmeadowes
Summary: All Eloise Sewell wanted was to go to Homecoming with a cute boy like any normal girl. Too bad she wasn't normal. Dealing with a mess of witches, werewolves, and faeries, Eloise also had to deal with finding the right dress for the dance and her ex-boyfriend crushing on her best friend. Couldn't a girl get a break around here?
Kudos: 3





	Periphery

Eloise Sewell and Violet Quinn became friends because of her tarot deck. Violet was the new girl from Chicago who moved to Hood River to live with her great aunt. Violet's great aunt, Meredith, owned a New Age store that mostly stayed afloat by selling natural remedies and essential oils. Everyone in town pretty much thought Meredith was a witch and this was supported by her home that just happened to be in the middle of the woods. Seeing Violet with a tarot deck wasn't a big shock and it motivated Eloise to approach her at one of the picnic tables outside and ask for a reading.

Throughout high school any other witch-y abilities seemed to just manifest in Violet's ability to predict the weather and the break-ups of many of their peers (much to Violet's sadistic delight). Eloise never outwardly asked if Violet was a witch even if all evidence pointed to yes and sometimes even forgot that Violet could be anything else but a moody teenage girl. Then, as most stories tend to go, a boy arrived in town. From New York no less, Sebastian Galloway was tall and handsome like a movie star.

Eloise had stared like a sunflower following the sun as he approached them during lunch time at their usual table outside. Violet was shuffling her deck, her long fingers moving the cards in a well-practiced rhythm. Her friend didn't even bother looking up as Sebastian Galloway took a seat opposite Eloise on the picnic table and smiled at her with his perfect teeth.

"Hi, I'm Bash," His eyes were a mesmerizing blue. "And you are?"

"Eloise," She offered, brightly. "And this is Violet."

"Violet Quinn? The witch?" He was watching Violet shuffle the cards with interest. "How about you read my fortune?"

Violet stopped shuffling and spread the cards out on the table in a graceful arc, her white fingers moving the cards delicately. Eloise had always loved when she did that. It felt like her friend was doing a spell though the truth was it more aesthetic than real magic. Meeting Bash's gaze, Violet told him to pick a card.

Bash selected a card in the middle, flipping it over and revealed a picture of a grey wolf howling at the moon. _The Moon_ it read in Violet's loopy cursive. His face stilled like a statue's as he stared at the card. Violet was watching him like an intriguing puzzle before she smiled that pleased catty smile she liked to give to their classmates before she predicted their break-ups or failing a test.

"Something is troubling you and you don't know to handle it," Violet said. "But don't worry. It'll all work out eventually."

Bash's face was still impassive. "Oh? What makes you say that?"

Violet was pulling the cards back and was shuffling them again, declaring, "I'm rarely wrong."

"I see," Bash turned to Eloise and gave her that perfect smile again. "This was fun and it was nice meeting you. I'll see you in class."

Eloise could barely let out a word of protest as he got up and hightailed it out of there, leaving her confused about what just happened. She turned back to Violet who'd spread the cards on the table again.

"Pick one."

Sighing, she obeyed and flipped over a card to see the smiling baby under a yellow sun. _The Sun._ The happiest and luckiest card as Violet had explained to her long ago. She didn't feel all that lucky at the moment seeing as her crush practically ran away from her.

"Things are good or will get better soon," Violet hummed as she reshuffled the cards again. "You can't really mess up with that card."

Eloise wanted to believe her. Violet was rarely wrong.

* * *

It was a good thing Meredith liked Eloise considering the amount of time she spent at her house. Eloise's parents were usually out of town and she probably would be surviving on ramen and biscuits if Meredith didn't feed her. Eloise even had her own little drawer in Violet's room to make it more convenient for her to sleep over. Her parents would go on business trips that would last from a month to almost half a year (hello again, Sophomore Year) then return for a few months before disappearing again.

Meredith didn't seem to mind she was practically raising Eloise and even jokingly called her "my other niece". It almost made her cry. Both sets of Eloise's grandparents had passed away before she was born so Meredith was the closest thing she had to a grandparent. She didn't really know what she would do if Violet hadn't moved to town and given her a second home. Probably die of starvation or scurvy.

The walk through the woods always relaxed her. The way the air felt cleaner, the sunlight through the trees giving this beautiful and calm quality as their feet stepped through the shortcut they frequented since Freshman Year. Fall was fast approaching and leaves crunched underneath them as they made their way to the house. It was a rustic two-story cottage of cobblestone and oak built by Meredith's grandfather when they moved to Oregon from New England.

They were laughing about nothing, some joke Violet made, when they noticed the stranger standing outside the house. Eloise noticed him first seeing a tall boy about their age, lean and impossibly fair. His hair was a blond so light it was almost white, eyes an impossible emerald green, and his ears were pointy like a Christmas elf. And he was dressed like he just stepped off a stage production of a Shakespearean play.

They both stopped walking and stared at this stranger warily. Violet's hand suddenly grabbed hers and gripped her tightly as if afraid she would start running towards him. He cocked his head at them before he began to move closer.

"Fuck," Violet whispered and was slowly backing them away. "Ellie, you need to run. Go to the hardware store and hang out by the bolts or something. Some place with a lot of metal."

"What the does that even mean?" Eloise couldn't help but protest. "How would a hardware store help?"

"That guy walking towards us is a Faerie. You see the ears?" Her friend gave her an insistent look. "They don't like iron, hence, hardware store. Just go, please? I'll hold him off."

"How would you hold him off?" Eloise demanded. She wasn't going to leave her best friend in the woods with some guy, Faerie or not. "If he is a Faerie then doesn't that mean he has powers and how are you gonna fight that?"

The Faerie stopped moving and frowned down at his legs that seemed to no longer be obeying his command. Meredith appeared behind them, holding a bag of groceries and looking supremely annoyed.

"You're on my property, Fae," She groused. "And I didn't invite you. Trespassing is frowned upon for all realms."

He glared at her. "I'm here for the changeling."

"She's not a changeling," Meredith shook her head. "Just has a touch of Fae to her but she's very much human. You have no right to her."

She pulled out a knife from her boot and it glistened silver in the sunlight.

"This is pure iron. Do not make me use it," She warned. "I'm going to end the spell and you run off home."

" _Witch_ ," He said the word like a curse, still glaring at her. "The king will hear about this."

"And please remind him the treaty still stands," She waved her hand and he stumbled a little, finally regaining mobility of his feet. "Now, _leave_."

The Fae gave her one last venomous glare before walking off, sneaking one last glance at where Eloise and Violet stood before disappearing into the woods.

Meredith sighed and gestured for the girls to follow her.

"Help me with dinner, girls?" She walked towards the house. "We have a lot to discuss."

* * *

Eloise was born in a car. The story was that her parents were going to leave Hood River to go on another business trip regardless that her mother was about to give birth when as they were driving in the middle of the woods, Eloise made her debut into the world. The business trip was cancelled to say the least. She always thought the circumstance of her birth was why she loved being in the woods and she hadn't thought much to it besides that.

Meredith was telling her a different story as they sat at their kitchen table and she sipped on a glass of red wine.

"I helped with your birth," Meredith explained. "Your parents' car broke down close to my home. I heard your mother screaming and I found them. There was no time to bring you here so you were born in that fancy car."

"They never told me about you being there," Eloise pointed out. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It didn't seem relevant," She answered. "What _is_ relevant is the car was parked on top of a ley line."

"What's a ley line?"

"Lines of power," Violet explained, finally speaking. "Think of it like a socket to the generator of magic, times ten."

"And they're strongly connected to the Fae," Meredith continued. "There are legends that the ley lines were created by the first Fae who wanted to split the world into different territories until the rise of man messed up all their grand plans."

"But what does me being born on a ley line mean?" Eloise asked. "Does that mean I'm a Faerie?"

"Merely a sprinkling of it," The older woman shrugged. "You are for the most part human."

"Does that mean I have powers?"

"You're super likeable," Violet stated. "Everybody, literally _everybody_ , likes you. That's cause of Fae magic."

"Or I'm just nice?" Eloise retorted. "People like people who are nice!"

"Not everyone," Violet countered. "Your faerie magic makes it impossible to dislike you even a bit."

"So, everyone's just forced to like me? Is that what you're saying?"

"Yes," Her friend nodded. "Also, your asthma is not really asthma. You can't breathe when there's too much iron in an area."

Eloise stared at her in disbelief. Her head felt like it was going to split open from shock or frustration she didn't know.

"And how long have you known I'm part faerie?"

"Since I met you,"

Eloise smacked her in the arm and Violet yelped.

"Three years!" She exclaimed. "You knew for over three years and you didn't say a word!"

Violet rubbed her arm gingerly. "It didn't seem-"

"Relevant," Eloise sighed. "You're a witch and I'm part Faerie. Is there anything else you think is too 'irrelevant' to tell me?"

"Your crush is a werewolf."

Eloise's headache was getting worse.

* * *

The two girls were in gym the next day for P.E. as it had been raining outside all day. Coach Piers were making them do laps around the gym like hamsters on a hellish wheel and by the second lap Violet was complaining she could taste blood in her mouth. Eloise, the sportier of the two, tried to encourage her but the brunette glared at her and she silently just nodded as they finished the lap. The boys were playing basketball on the other side of the gym and Bash's team was currently in the lead. Eloise hoped he would take his shirt off but apparently her Fae powers could not extend to make that happen.

After the third lap, Coach Piers let them take a break. Violet practically crawled to the bleachers and lied down on the bottom one, sweaty and miserable. Eloise took a drink from her water bottle and gave the other half to her friend who finished the rest of it in one go. Eloise took a seat beside Violet's feet and continued watching the boys play.

Bash was fast and strong, snatching the ball from one player and running past the others as he made his way to the basket. He shot the ball upwards and it circled the rim of the basket like a ballerina's pirouette before falling inside. She wondered how much of his athleticism was natural talent or just because he was a werewolf. She'd spent the night wondering where the Fae magic ended and she began. It was still messing with her head.

"Do you think Bash is really _that_ good at basketball?" She asked, keeping her voice low as not to be heard by the others. "I mean am I likeable outside of being part Fae or is it all magic?"

"Probably a mix of both," Violet answered, sitting up, her back to the game. "All the magic stuff just enhances what's there. Faerie magic is just rainbow sprinkles on top of your human vanilla ice cream."

" _So_ …Bash is still a good athlete without the werewolf thing in the mix?"

Violet rolled her eyes, lying back down and covered her eyes with her forearm. "Sure. Whatever."

They both jumped as a dodge ball nearly hit them but just bounced off the bleachers.

"Dodge ball, girls!" Couch Piers exclaimed. "Get a move on!"

Violet muttered under her breath, "Bite me."

Eloise grinned and pulled her to her feet.

* * *

Homecoming was in about a week which meant voting for Homecoming Court. Eloise stared in disbelief when she was nominated. She was flattered to the gills even when Violet pointed out "Of course you're going to win, faerie princess" and she resisted squealing in excitement. Her best friend, for all her cynicism, was incredibly supportive and helped her make and hang flyers around school. Violet was an artist and had made a pretty design of flowers and crowns on the flyers along with curvy calligraphy.

Eloise was handing out flyers to her classmates who were all smiling at her and wishing her good luck when Bash appeared. She hesitated before greeting him, handing him a flyer with a cheery, "Vote for me for Homecoming Queen!"

He stared down at the rose paper and at the photo of her beaming face. She was wearing her favorite yellow sundress and behind her was Meredith's prized sunflowers. He raised his head and smiled back at her. She had to resist the urge to melt to the floor in an undignified manner.

He asked, "You have a date to the dance?"

She again had to resist the urge to melt to the floor and tried to keep herself a solid mass. She shook her head, afraid of what words would fall out of her mouth.

"Nobody asked you out?" He looked at her in disbelief. "I thought you'd need to fight them off with a stick."

"Well…" She giggled, unable to come up with anything. "You know."

"Know what?" Dan Sparks appeared. They dated back in Sophomore Year before they decided they were better off as friends. "I see you're campaigning hard, Elle."

"Aren't you?' She returned, gesturing to the blue flyers of him on the walls. A photo of him wearing his signature Leatherman's jacket was on it along with 'VOTE FOR DAN SPARKS'. There were also terrible drawings of what were probably meant to be fireworks. "Or is that just for decoration?"

"More like my friends thought I'd be funny," He shrugged. "Anyway, I'm just here to ask if you would like to go with me to the dance?"

She gaped at him, turning back to Bash who was staring at her in surprise. Dan turned to Bash as well and seemed to put things together.

"Sorry," He said. "Are you two going together?"

Bash shook his head. "No. I didn't ask her."

"But were you?" The words were out of her mouth before Eloise could help it. She cringed so hard she thought her grandkids could feel it. "I mean, I'm not assuming…"

"….well, I sort of was…"

"…and you're in no obligation to even ask me…"

"…just in case you wanted to go with me…"

"…so it's okay if you don't want to…"

"Let's have lunch!" Violet appeared and immediately paused when all of them looked at her. Sensing the very awkward tension, she tried to back away. "I'm going to go the cafeteria…"

Eloise latched onto her arm before she could get far. "That's a good idea! Let's go eat!"

And they ran faster than they had in their lives. They did not look back at what they left behind.

* * *

They opted for lunch off-campus. There was a family-owned bistro near the school the upperclassmen went to and they sat at a table near the back, munching on a shared plate of fries and veggie burgers.

"Let me get this straight," Violet was talking in between bites. "Two boys asked you to the dance and you didn't give them an answer."

"Well Bash _technically_ didn't ask me," She clarified. "He just said he was going to before Dan did."

"Okay," The other girl took a sip of her iced tea. "But which one do you wanna go with?"

Eloise sighed and thought about her choices. Bash was new, handsome, and so charming it hurt to look at him. Dan had always been cute and nice and she knew she would have a good time with him since they already knew each other. Both were good choices but she couldn't have both. And if she really had to choose, she would pick…

"Bash," She answered, almost like a question. "And anyway, it would be awkward to go with my ex."

Violet nodded and took a big bite of her burger. "Now, you just need to tell Dan."

Eloise sighed again. She was not looking forward to that.

* * *

Dan took it pretty well though she could see he was disappointed. He made a little joke that they "were always better as friends anyway" before he left and went to his car. She was left standing there in the parking lot feeling like a jerk before she saw Bash coming out of the school and head to his car. She practically sprinted to get to him just as he opened the car door.

"Hi!" Be still her beating heart. "So, um, about the dance…"

"Yeah?" He threw his bag to the passenger seat. "Are you going with Dan?"

"No. I was hoping to go with you."

She felt like her heart was at her throat and would just escape and start singing the chorus of Madonna's _Crazy For You_ as he turned to her and looked at the expression on her face which she was sure looked like a terrified deer. She tucked stray blonde curls that fell out of her braid and held unto hope like a dying man.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally said, "Okay."

She let out the breath she was holding and smiled in relief.

"Okay," She echoed. "I'll see you then?"

"I can pick you up." He offered. "Where do you live?"

"I'll be staying at Violet's," Her parents wouldn't be back till January as per their last email. "It's the house in the woods."

Most people knew where Meredith Quinn's house was. Turn left from the school and follow the path until the cabin appeared. She gave him one more beaming smile before running towards the school entrance where Violet had been standing by the steps. She let out a little squeal and enveloped the brunette in a hug.

Violet took it all good-naturedly, petting her back like she was an overenthusiastic puppy. She finally released the other girl.

"I'm going to the dance with Bash!" She all but announced to the world. "It's gonna be perfect!"

Eloise wrapped her around her friend as they began their walk home. "Now we all need to do is find you a date."

Violet snorted at her silliness. "Good luck with that."

* * *

"I wished you told me you were a witch sooner," Eloise told her as they looked at dresses at the thrift store that weekend. "You watched me have to alter dresses and sow my hands off for years when all this time you could've just used magic."

"I thought you liked sowing," Violet grimaced at a floral black dress with a rather pungent smell. "And again, it wasn't relevant for you to know at the time."

"Didn't you trust me?" She stopped perusing the rack of sequined monstrosities. "I told you everything and you were keeping secrets. That wasn't fair."

The brunette looked guilty. "Some of those secrets weren't mine to tell."

"And the ones that were yours to tell?" Eloise moved closer to her. "You're practically my sister. I need you to trust me like I trust you."

"I do," Violet nodded. "So, why don't you pick a dress and I'll magic it into something pretty."

Eloise pulled out a champagne dress with a gauzy fabric, like a nightgown with ambitions. "How about this? Does it say 'faerie princess'?"

"It'll go with your crown," Her friend turned back to the rack of black dresses that were probably best for funerals or vampires. "It's a sure win for you."

"You don't know that," Eloise stared at her. "You haven't checked with the cards, have you?"

"Nope," The other girl gave her a knowing look. "But I'm rarely wrong."

* * *

They were planning on spending Sunday altering the dresses they'd bought from the Thrift Store. Eloise was excited to see Violet do actual magic and she kept imagining it to be like the scene in _Sleeping Beauty_ where the fairy godmothers were making Aurora a gown. Plans changed though when Eloise crawled down the stairs that morning still in her pajamas and her hair a bird's nest to find Bash sitting on the couch as Meredith offered him some of her almond cookies. She froze, her brain unable to comprehend what was happening, before she looked down and realized that state she was in.

She quietly stepped back and made her way back upstairs before he could turn to see her. Violet was still sleeping and she grabbed the end of her fleece blanket and pulled it off her. The brunette woke with a start, grey eyes squinting at her.

Violet practically growled, "What the fuck?"

"Bash is downstairs," She hissed. "Why is he here?"

"I don't know,"

Violet tried to lie back down but Eloise grabbed her by the arm and tried to pull her off the bed and towards her bathroom. Violet stumbled into her bath tub and leaned her head on the tiled wall, trying to fall asleep again as Eloise worked on brushing her hair into submission.

"Did your aunt say anything?" Eloise was trying her best not to panic. _Trying_. "Surely, she said something."

"No," Violet mumbled. "Maybe he got lost in the woods?"

"What would he be doing in the woods by himself?"

"He's a _werewolf_ ," The brunette gave her a look. "They like the woods."

Eloise put down her hair brush and turned on the faucet to splash water on her face. Why was she so puffy in the morning? She patted at her cheeks and frowned. Her lips were too dry and she made a vain attempt at finding her lip balm.

"Violet!" Meredith called out. "Can you come down here? We have a guest."

Her friend obediently got up, albeit slowly, from the tub and shuffled like a zombie back to her room. Picking up her discarded fleece blanket off the floor and wrapped it around herself.

"Wait," Eloise stopped her hastily. "Are you seriously just gonna go down like that?"

Violet's hair was a mess, the dark brown strands standing up in odd directions. She was naturally pale but she looked practically colorless that morning and she could barely keep her grey eyes open. Violet looked like death warmed over and she was perfectly okay being seen by a boy like that. Eloise was horrified.

Opening her bedroom door, Violet replied, "Yes."

Eloise watched leave her bemusedly. She could not understand her best friend sometimes. Finally finding her lip balm, she worked on making herself presentable.

* * *

The walk downstairs had Eloise balancing herself on the balls of her feet to minimize as much noise as possible. Her hair brushed, lip gloss meticulously applied and wearing a dress that was probably too light for the weather, she was confident in her looks. At the very least, he wouldn't run from the house screaming in terror. Rubbing her sweaty palms on her skirt, she made her way to the living room.

Bash was still sitting on the same couch and Violet was on the old stuffed chair by the fireplace. Meredith was no longer there. And the two teenagers sat in awkward silence. A plate of almond cookies sat innocently on the coffee table.

"Hi Bash," She tried her best not to sound too breathless. _Tried_. "What are you doing here?"

Bash looked conflicted on what to do, not responding, and looked at Violet for help.

"She knows you're a werewolf," Violet groused from her chair. She was sipping on a steaming cup of tea. "And she's not strictly human herself."

Bash turned back to her in surprise.

"I'm part faerie. Sort of," She shrugged. "It's a long story."

She wondered where she should sit before deciding to take a seat beside Bash while leaving enough space for a person between them.

"That's why you smell like that," He said and at her mortified face, he explained more. "I mean you smell nice, like sugar and berries."

"I do?"

"Yeah," He smiled before glancing at Violet. "Witches smell like a pumpkin spice latte."

"Excuse you," Violet gave him an annoyed look. "I do not."

"I found it!" Meredith made her way to the living room, holding a palm-sized metal disc with a symbol that had three swirls. Like a headless three-armed Octopus. "And you've met Eloise, I see."

Bash accepted the disc as Meredith handed it over, tracing the swirling pattern with a finger.

"This is a _triskelion_ ," Meredith explained. "We'll be using it as a training tool for you to manage yourself during the full moon. Just look at this and chant this mantra

"Three things cannot be long hidden – the sun, the moon, and truth."

"Three things cannot be long hidden," Bash echoed. "The sun, the moon, and the truth,"

Eloise glanced up at Violet, remembering her tarot card readings when they first met Bash. The brunette must've remembered it too because she put her mug down on the coffee table. Meredith had a small bag that when jostled sounded like it was filled with glass bottles, she pulled out a vial with a powder blue liquid and handed it to Bash.

"This is a calming draught," She clarified. "If you ever feel like you're losing control of the wolf, drink it immediately."

Bash put down the metal disc as Meredith continued to hand him more things. The vial with the mustard yellow liquid was an energy draught for after the full moon, a tin of green paste was a healing salve for any wounds and scratches, and some wax earplugs.

"Nothing magical about the earplugs," The older woman pointed out. "They're just for when your enhanced senses can't take the noise around you."

"Thank you," Bash nodded to her. "Really. Thank you for all this."

"No worries, Sebastian," Meredith gave him her most motherly smile. "I know it must be difficult to go through these changes without anyone to guide you. If you need anything at all, I'll always be here. And so will Violet."

Violet did not look like she quite agreed with that but a strict look from Meredith had her nodding.

* * *

Bash had put everything away in his back pack and politely declined Meredith's offer to stay for breakfast. He said his goodbyes to Meredith when Violet suggested Eloise walk him out. Her friend gave her a look and she gave her a grateful smile as she led Bash out of the house. She was grateful Violet threw her Meredith's shawl before she got out because it was really cold outside. The sun was barely making its way up as they made their way to Bash's car.

Bash asked, "How long have you known that you were part faerie?"

"A couple of weeks," She answered. "I really had no idea until Meredith told me. How about you? How did you know you're a werewolf?"

"A couple of months," He replied. They reached his car and he unlocked the door, carefully placing his back pack in the passenger seat. "My mom was a werewolf but she died when I was a baby so my dad just thought it might've skipped me. And then after my birthday over the summer and I went through my first transformation…"

He sighed. "My dad decided we needed to move out of New York for everyone's safety and he chose Hood River because my mom was originally from here and the Quinns had always helped my family out with the curse."

"So, your family's always had this?" She tried to remember if Meredith or Violet ever mentioned any other werewolves in town. "Or is it contagious?"

"You're either born one or you're not," He answered. "My mom was the last of her family before she had me so I am a lone wolf so to speak."

"You're not alone," She returned. "I mean, you're not the only non-human around. There's me."

"Right," He smiled at her gratefully. "Maybe we should a supernatural only club."

She nodded, smiling back. "You, me, and Violet. We could hold meetings in the woods. And do whatever faeries, werewolves, and witches do."

He slid into the driver's seat and closed the car door behind him before rolling the window down. "I'll see you at school, Eloise. And thanks."

"No problem," She resisted the urge to start giggling. "I'll see you at school."

* * *

He backed up his car then drove away. Eloise watched until his car was out of sight before sprinting back inside the house. Violet was eating the leftover almond cookies and she jumped on the couch next to her. She hugged her friend and Violet patted her arm as she continued to eat.

Eloise spent all of Monday morning's Home Econ class working on the finishing touches for her dress. Violet had worked her magic in making the dress fit perfectly and brightening where the fabric had faded making it look brand new. Eloise still needed to sow in missing sequins and change the straps of the dress. She reverently put the dress back in the garment bag as she made her way to her next class.

Art class made her nervous to bring the garment bag inside and fearing disaster, she stuffed the garment bag in her locker and quietly told it to stay. Violet was already there in the classroom, working on an abstract painting of a sunset. Eloise was decent in Art and genuinely enjoyed sketching out dresses and dreamed about seeing them on a runway but Violet was the artist with her hand-painted tarot cards and mural on her bedroom wall. With mountains of sketch pads and notebooks filled with years of drawings, Violet could kill every tree in the world if she tried.

Dan was also in this class and he'd chosen the easel beside Violet's and was speaking to her amiably. Violet had been ambivalent at best with boys Eloise dated in the past but she'd been somewhat nice to Dan while it lasted. Dan's painting was a forest, somewhat sloppy but he did seem to be trying. Violet stopped her painting and picked up a smaller brush shaped like a fan and was helping him with the trees to make them look better.

Eloise put down her bag by a chair and left to get painting materials. She set up her blank canvas on the easel on Violet's other side. She liked painting flowers and imagined Meredith's sunflowers. They were harvested at the beginning of fall and would not bloom again until the spring and she missed seeing them when she woke up and left the house. She worked on mixing the paints to create the perfect golden yellow.

"So, do you have a date for Homecoming?" Dan asked Violet as she went back to her painting. "Or are you just gonna stay at home and read _Star Wars_ fan fiction again?"

"First of all, you read every story I recommend you," Violet retorted. "And second, I am going to the dance but not with a date."

"Don't you wanna go with a boy? Or girl?" Dan shrugged. "Whatever you're into, Vi."

"Nobody asked me and I don't plan on asking anyone," Her paint strokes were almost angry as she worked on the clouds of her sunset. "And why do you care, Sparks?"

"Cause I was gonna ask if you want to go with me."

Eloise's hand froze on her canvas, the yellow paint smearing like a bright checkmark.

Violet scoffed. "Stop fucking around."

"I'm not," Dan was smiling at her. "Go with me. We'll have fun."

Eloise stared at her canvas unseeingly, her heart beating in her chest in a staccato. She clutched her paint brush tightly. The paint was dripping down her fingers. It felt like an eternity until Violet finally answered.

"Only if you take me to watch _Star Wars_ in December,"

"Deal," Dan returned. "I'll even take you to _Star Wars_ Land after graduation."

"Careful, Sparks," Violet sounded almost coy. Eloise didn't understand. She never flirted. "That's almost romantic."

"Definitely romantic," He returned, his brown eyes appraising her. "We're gonna have fun, you and I."

* * *

The walk home was quiet. Eloise refused to look at Violet and the latter looked like she wanted to she wanted to say something desperately. They went inside the cabin and helped Meredith prepare dinner, again not talking. Meredith seemed to sense there was something going on but didn't comment on it. They were brushing their teeth in the bathroom in their pajamas when Violet finally broke.

"You don't mind me going to the dance with Dan, do you?" She asked. "I mean I know it's a bit weird because you two used to date-"

"It's fine," Eloise replied, before changing her mind. "Okay. It's really weird but do you like him?"

Violet stared at her, bubbles in her mouth and toothbrush in hand before nodding. Eloise couldn't help but think about Sophomore Year and Violet and Dan would talk about common interests like _Star Wars_ , _Monty Python_ , and other things she could never get into no matter how much she tried. How Violet actually talked to Dan and not ignored him like she did with everybody else at school and Dan wasn't afraid of her even when she was being mean. And Eloise couldn't help but wonder if they liked each other all along and she was just in the way.

"How long have you liked him?"

"I don't know," Violet answered, bending down to wash out her mouth in the sink. "Dan's always been nice. I didn't even think he could like me back until he asked me to the dance. I mean it's _me_. It's like Maleficent dating Prince Philipp."

"Did you like him before this year?"

Violet finally realized what she wasn't saying. "I didn't like him when you were together."

"But you didn't _dislike_ him."

"No," Violet put down her toothbrush on the counter. "But he was yours and that was that."

Except he wasn't hers anymore, not since Eloise decided she didn't want to be anything else but friends with him and broke up with him. Dan had smiled and pretended like everything was okay and assured her they would always be friends. And if he was just her friend he was allowed to date other girls, even Violet.

"Do you still like him? Because if you do, I can just tell him I changed my mind," Violet had moved from the bathroom and to her bedroom, tying her hair up in a bun. Eloise followed her, toothbrush still in hand. "He's just a boy and you're more important."

She stared at Violet as she prepared for bed. Violet was the complete contrast of her, tall and pale with her shoulder length dark hair. Quiet and unsettling in her prettiness, she scared boys away except for Dan who saw the girl underneath that gave everything to her best friend from sharing her room to willingly give up a boy without her having to ask. Eloise suddenly felt very sick for her selfish she was.

Of course Dan would like Violet. Why wouldn't he? They would get married and make their kids watch science fiction films. Leave Hood River and go to some big city where Violet would be a famous artist and Dan could become a successful architect. They would just _work_ and that's what chaffed her.

"No," Eloise said, finally. "You should go to the dance with him. He's perfect for you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Or she would be.

* * *

Eloise was a morning person. And this usually meant she was the one to help Meredith with breakfast as Violet would not rise until noon if she could help it. Breakfast was always light fare ranging from toast and eggs to cereal. Eloise would usually be dressed and ready and wait for Violet as she rushed from the bathroom, grabbing a piece of toast she would consume on their walk to school. Just as she's eating her bowl of honey cereal, Meredith asked her to spend the night at her parents' house.

Surprised, she asked, "Why?"

She went to the house once a week to clean and to check that it hadn't burned down. When her parents weren't in town, it sat like a ghost among the cheerier houses in town filled with families that had dinner together every night. Even when her parents were home, the house was quiet as her parents were busy working and even spent dinner inside their shared office while Eloise ate alone at the dining table. Meredith more than knew what the house felt like to her and she was sending her back there.

"We're going to have a guest tonight," Meredith explained. "I think it'd best you're not here. A werewolf transformation can be dangerous and Violet and I would be better equipped to handle it."

 _Bash_ 's werewolf transformation because it was a full moon tonight and she wasn't equipped to handle it because she wasn't a witch and had no magic. She'd forgotten about his curse, equating it to some quirk of his that could be managed. He was charming and nice and it didn't feel congruent to transforming into a bloodthirsty beast.

"Maybe I can help?" There must be some way she could do more than just sit still and do nothing. "I don't have magic but I can do something else?"

"It's alright, dear," Meredith reached over and patted her hand. "Violet and I will handle everything."

"How?"

"We're going to keep him in the storm cellar overnight. There will be spells to make sure he stays there. And we will keep watch, just in case."

Just in case he got out and went on a murder spree. She tried to imagine it, remembering the grotesque werewolves in the old films Violet liked. The large beasts of fur and teeth and copious amounts of fake blood felt so unreal. And the reality had to be…

"Is it painful? The transformation?"

She imagined a body twisting itself, bones breaking, muscles tearing as he was remade.

"Yes," Meredith was never one for white lies. "Nothing to be done about it even with magic,"

She was going to ask more questions but Violet was running down the stairs and they needed to leave for school.

* * *

Eloise was distracted the whole day in school. Bash wasn't in classes and after texting him, he replied he wasn't feeling well. She barely listened in class and hoped Violet was taking her meticulous notes as usual because hers were useless. She kept thinking about the werewolf transformation tonight and if there was anything she could do to help Bash feel better but couldn't think of anything. She wished her "sprinkling" of Fae magic actually gave her something like the ability to make her werewolf crush feel better.

She was so distracted she didn't notice Dan waving his hand in front of her face and trying to get her attention. She could only blink at him in surprise.

"Deep thoughts?" He smiled at her knowingly. "Looks like you were about to reach the abyss there."

"What does that mean?"

"He's referencing Nietzsche," Violet explained. "And class is over. Let's have lunch."

They gathered their things and walked out the classroom, Dan kept up with them, staying by Violet's side.

"Have you voted yet?" He asked. "They're gonna close it by tomorrow."

"Not yet," Violet answered. "And I'm sure you'll win, Sparks, with or without my vote."

"Every vote counts," He looked over at Eloise. "I have your vote, right?"

"Of course," She answered, trying not to go back to thinking about Bash. "And you're voting for me too, right?"

"Of course!" He turned back to Violet. "You know if I win, Vi, that would make you a sort of honorary Homecoming Queen since you will be my date."

Violet scoffed. "You take that back or you will find yourself without a date."

They were finally at the cafeteria and the girls picked a table, taking out their packed lunches while Dan braved the cafeteria food and got in line.

"Where we that sickening?" Eloise couldn't help ask. "When we were dating?"

"Oh, worse," Violet answered as she opened her lunch box and started on her lasagna. "You two were so cutesy I rolled my eyes so hard one time I could've gone blind."

"You must've been relieved when we broke up," She couldn't help but smile at the irony. "And now you're dating him and being cutesy too. How the tables have turned."

"We're not dating,"

Yet.

Violet stabbed into her food viciously. "And even if we were, I would never be that cutesy with any boy."

Dan returned to the table and set his tray of questionable food on the table. It could've been pizza or cardboard with cheese pretending to be a pizza. Either way Dan would eat it as he had the appetite of a teenage boy. He eyed Violet's and Eloise's lunches enviously.

"Can I have some?"

Violet offered her fork with a large bite of lasagna. Dan didn't even hesitate as he took the bite and smiled at her happily. Violet grimaced and turn red. Her pale skin was unable to hide anything. Eloise gave her a look which Violet returned with a glare.

She mouthed, "Fuck off."

Eloise mouthed back, "Cutesy."

* * *

Bash arrived at the cabin before they did. He was resting on the couch, pale and miserable as they entered the house. Meredith offered him her almond cookies but he declined.

He explained, "I'm just gonna puke it anyway."

Eloise took the seat beside him on the couch and took out her handkerchief from her pocket. She gingerly wiped the sweat from his face. His eyes were bloodshot and he was shivering. Pushing his hair back from his forehead she nearly gasped from how warm he was.

"You're running a fever," She pointed out. "I should get you some ice."

"It's all part of the change," He explained, grabbing her hand before she could leave to go to the kitchen. "It'll be gone by tomorrow."

Violet had gone to the kitchen and came back with a vial of a watery yellow liquid. She handed it to Bash.

"Wolfsbane. It'll weaken the wolf enough so you have some control."

Bash uncorked the vial and took a sip. He coughed.

"It tastes like piss."

"Not much I can do about the taste. Sorry."

He rolled his eyes in exasperation and swallowed the rest of the potion in one swallow. He handed the empty vial back to Violet. She turned to Eloise.

"You should get your stuff and go, Ellie," She prompted, gently. "I'll take care of him."

"Can't I stay?" Eloise looked at how sickly Bash was and did not want to leave him alone. "Please?"

"Ellie…"

"I can wait with you."

"It's dangerous," Bash still had her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "I would rather you were somewhere safe for the night. I'll see you tomorrow."

"But you'll be alone," She returned. "You shouldn't be alone."

"I won't be," He looked to Violet. "She'll be there."

Eloise looked at her friend in horror. Violet scowled at Bash before sighing and explained that she was going to be fine. She could shape shift into a cat and it another one to add to Violet's Merry Mountain of Secrets. When Eloise asked for a demonstration, she found herself staring into a tabby cat with Violet's silver eyes.

She threw a pillow at her. Violet the Cat hissed at her before skulking off. Turning back to Bash she told him she would see him tomorrow before going upstairs to get her things.

* * *

The walk from the woods and to town was quiet and lonely. Arriving at her empty house was even more so. Restless and staring at the grandfather's clock in the living room was driving her crazy. At sunset, she tried to Facetime with Violet who didn't pick up. She got a text from her a few minutes later saying everything was okay and to go eat dinner. She didn't even notice it was already night time and the moon was already in the sky.

Feeling like she was going to burst out of her skin, she decided to have dinner in town since the kitchen was empty and she didn't want to eat by herself in that house. She made her way to the pizzeria which was half-full of people. Staring up at the menu, she tried to decide what flavor to get when she felt someone tapping her on the shoulder. She had to tilt her head up to meet Dan's gaze. She forgot how much taller he was than her.

"Hi," He said. "Didn't expect to see you here,"

"I had a pizza craving," She looked past him and saw his parents enter the pizzeria with his younger siblings. His parents must've come straight from their shift at the hospital. "Family night?"

"Twins' birthday," He explained. "Are you here by yourself?"

"Violet and her aunt have this family thing,"

Sort of.

She shrugged. "So it's just me, myself, and I."

"How about Bash?" He prompted. "Aren't you guys a thing?"

"Well, we haven't really made anything official…"

"Got it," He nodded. "You wanna have dinner with us?"

She glanced at where his family was sitting at the booth. Dan's parents had always been nice to her. Dan's mom in particular always made her feel welcome at their house when they were dating. The twins were adorable when they weren't being little gremlins. A part of her really enjoyed staying over for dinner at Dan's house because she felt like she was part of his family and she liked it so much she dated him a few months more than she intended but he didn't know that.

"You won't mind?" She asked. "I don't want to impose."

He rolled his eyes. "We practically sponsored all your dinners in Sophomore Year. This won't be any different."

It actually _was_ different. She wasn't his girlfriend anymore. If anybody should be there having dinner with them, it should be Violet. But Violet was with Bash and making sure he wasn't going on a werewolf rampage on everybody in town. Eloise should be the one with Bash as he transformed but here she was instead. Realizing there wasn't much she could do to change this mess she decided to just roll with it.

She stated, "I still don't eat bacon."

"Jesus Christ," He sighed. "I forgot about that. No bacon it is."

* * *

The Sparks were a beautiful family. Dan's parents were tall and blue-eyed blondes. His mother had high cheekbones and a shapely mouth she passed on to her son. The twins, Emily and Ethan, were cherubic with rosy cheeks and blonde hair so fair it could've been white. Dan's dark hair and eyes were an almost startling contrast compared to all of them.

Mrs. Sparks asked how she was doing and whether Meredith had restocked on the essential oils she liked to buy. Emily asked her about her dress for Homecoming. It was a nice meal and afterwards she was full and in a better mood than when she came in. Mr. Sparks asked her how she was getting home.

"I'll walk," She answered. "My parents' house isn't far."

Mr. Sparks gave Dan a look and he nodded. Turning to her, he said, "I'll walk you home."

"It's not far."

"Just let me walk you home."

He gave her that beseeching look he used on her when they were dating and he really wanted to take her to see some foreign film she would find boring. _Do it for me_.

"Okay."

She hated walking alone anyway.

* * *

Most of the shops were closing down for the night as they walked down the street. The nights were getting colder as autumn settled in and she was glad she chose to wear a jacket. She was always cold no matter what the weather was. Meanwhile, Dan was warm just wearing a t-shirt.

"I just noticed your family is really blonde," She said, glibly. "I mean you look like the black sheep next to them."

"I dated you for half a year and you just noticed?"

She rolled her eyes. "You know I can have tunnel vision."

"I remember," He gave her a smile, like it was an inside joke. "To be fair, I never actually told you but my dad isn't my dad. Biologically."

She stared at him surprise. "And?"

"My mom had a boyfriend while she was in college. He left her when she got pregnant with me," He told her the story like it wasn't anything unusual. "Some time after I'm born, she meets dad in medical school and the rest is history."

"Why'd you never tell me this?"

"It's not something I'm embarrassed about," He replied. "But it's not something I like to advertise either. My mom barely likes to talk about who my biologically father was."

She tried to imagine how difficult it must've been for Mrs. Sparks, barely any older than them and trying to get through college then medical school, pregnant and alone. Being abandoned wasn't easy and she knew that first hand. She had a brand new respect for the woman that managed despite all the odds.

She had to ask, "Do you look like him?"

"Yeah, I do," Dan answered. "Mom caved when I was twelve and showed me an old photo she still had. I look a lot like him."

It must've stung. Having a stranger's face and knowing that stranger never wanted you. She looked at Dan and wondered why he never felt like he could trust her with this. Or maybe he tried to tell her and she wasn't listening.

"I think you take after my mom though," She said. "I mean, you have to be brave to like Violet."

He laughed, it was warm and loud like it was always was.

"She _is_ scary," He conceded. "But apparently, I like that."

* * *

Eloise barely got any sleep during the night. She tossed and turned in her bed, staring up at the full moon from her window until the sunrise. Her hazel eyes were tired and heavy as she braided her messy blonde hair and packed up her overnight bag. She left her parents' house and made her way back to the woods.

Bash's dad was there, his car parked by the cabin. Bash looked exhausted and practically swayed on his feet as Meredith handed him more potions. Violet yawned, looking like she just wanted to curl up under a tree and sleep for ten years. Eloise wanted to hug Bash but wasn't sure he'd be okay with that so she just waved at him when he saw her approaching.

"Hi," She smiled at him. "Are you okay?"

"Been better," He replied. "But I've had worse."

Bash's dad cut in.

"We should get going, Bash," His dad nodded to Meredith. "Till next month. Thank you for everything again."

"No problem."

Meredith said her goodbyes and made her way inside. Violet followed. Bash's dad walked to his car but Bash stayed where he was.

Eloise pressed on. "How are you really?"

"It felt nice not being alone," His smile was tired but content. "Kind of cramped in the cellar but Violet was there."

"I wish I could've stayed," The guilt gnawed at her. "Maybe this faerie stuff has some shape shifting too."

"Maybe," He inclined his head, appraising her. "You'd probably be a dove or a hummingbird."

"Or a wolf?"

He shook his head. "I'll see you tomorrow in class."

She watched him walk to his father's car and get in. The black Honda looked mismatched in the forest as they drove away.

* * *

Violet was taking a sick day and Eloise took one in solidarity. Meredith didn't say anything as they spent the morning catching up on sleep. They were up by noon and eating lunch at the kitchen table. Meredith made a delicious spicy soup with some freshly baked bread. It was bliss.

"How was it?" Eloise asked as Violet continued eating. "The transformation, I mean."

"Horrible," The other girl answered, wincing at the memory. "He screamed for hours until his vocal cords ripped."

Eloise closed her eyes at the image.

"His wolf is not how I thought it'd be."

She opened her eyes again. "Oh?"

"It was playful," The other girl shook her head. "He chased me around until sunrise."

"What did his wolf look like?"

"Black fur and golden eyes," Violet went back to eating her soup. "A little bit bigger than a regular wolf but nothing like _An American Werewolf in London_ ,"

"And he has to do this every month?" Eloise couldn't imagine going through something so excruciating even once. "For the rest of his life?"

"Lycanthropy doesn't have a cure."

"Not even with magic?"

"Magic has limits," Violet snorted. "It's funny, right? Magic shouldn't have rules. It's probably my second biggest appointment about being a witch."

"What's the first?"

Violet looked terribly despondent, swirling her spoon around in her bowl.

"Dragons aren't real."

* * *

Being back at school felt the closest thing to normal. Bash was back and joined them at lunch at their usual picnic table outside. He and Dan talked about sports while Violet shuffled her deck. Instead of telling her to pick a card, Violet pulled one for herself and eyed the drawing of the cloaked woman with a crescent moon at her feet. _The High Priestess._ She didn't say anything and put her deck away.

The rest of the day was uneventful. The basketball game that night was easily won by their team, Eloise and Violet cheering Dan as he played with the team. Dan ran over, escaping the huddle from the other players to pick up Violet and twirled her around. Violet screamed at him to put her down. Eloise and Bash just laughed at their display and took videos on their phones.

When they got home, Eloise had trouble falling asleep as she was so excited for the next day. Eloise practically pushed Violet off the bed trying to wake her so they could get ready for the Pep Rally at the football field. Each club had made a float for the parade from the Cheerleading Team to the Drama Club. Homecoming Court nominees were given their own float to stand on and Eloise found herself with Dan as they smiled and waved at their cheering peers. Violet was sitting in the stands with Bash, the latter wearing the wax ear plugs as Violet tried her best to take photos of Eloise on the float.

After the parade, they practically ran home to get ready for the dance. Eloise's dress was a work of art, knee-length golden satin silk that hugged her petite form with silver and gold sequins. Meredith had styled her hair in loose gold curls and Violet did her make-up. When she looked at the mirror, she smiled as she'd never felt prettier.

Violet's dress was a simple black dress with a red sash at the waist. The darker colors made her look paler and like a teenage vampire. When she pointed this out to Violet, the other girl just smiled. Bash arrived a while later to pick them up.

He smiled widely at Eloise. He looked disarmingly handsome in his navy blue blazer.

"Hey there, golden girl," He said. "You're going to a movie premiere?"

"Stop it," She replied, coyly. "And what I mean is don't stop. Continue complimenting me."

After a thousand pictures taken, they got in his car and drove the short distance to the school.

* * *

They waited in line with the rest of the school to be let into the gym. Dan was already there, talking to some of his friends when he turned and saw them. He smiled at them in greeting, tall and dashing in an all-black suit except for the red tie. He wordlessly took Violet's hand.

"You match," Eloise pointed out. "And you look like vampires."

"Just say _My Chemical Romance_ ," Bash added and at their looks, he rolled his eyes. "I have older cousins that went through a phase."

They were finally let inside the gym which had been transformed into a fairytale forest. The Drama Club members of the student council had voted for a Midsummer Night's Dream theme which meant a forest but with glitter. A pop song she loved was playing and Eloise dragged Violet unto the dance floor and they twirled and jumped around the best they could on their high heels. They sang the words back at each other and giggled their way through the song.

The next song was a romantic ballad that had Dan pulling Violet away.

"I'm taking back my date," He said, putting his arms around Violet. "You can have her later."

Eloise shook her head at him exasperated as Bash led her into a slow dance. It was more swaying, his arms at her waist, and her hands on his shoulders. He was close enough she could feel the heat of him, the sweat at his nape. He was wearing the wax ear plugs.

She leaned closer to say in his ear. "This too overwhelming?"

"A bit, yeah," He admitted. "Loud music kind of freaks out the wolf side in me,"

"So, no rock concerts in the future?"

"Unfortunately, no,"

"Is a movie theatre too much?"

He grinned at her. "We'll make it work."

She peered over his shoulder to where Dan and Violet were dancing. They looked good together. A tall and pretty couple that was probably making references to movies made only before the twenty-first century. She remembered Sophomore Year and going to Homecoming with Dan and how she thought they were right together because they were both cheerful people and he treated her well.

Then, she wondered maybe this was what was meant to happen all along. Violet refused to let people in but Dan, patient Dan, who wooed her with all their shared nerdy interests and who stared at her like she was the prettiest demon he'd ever met, could make her best friend genuinely happy. And that was what mattered, Violet finally happy after her parents' death that forced her to move to Hood River and start over. And that was more important than any future she imagined with Dan when they were fifteen and didn't know any better.

She leaned into Bash and smelled the woods. It reminded her of home.

* * *

Eloise really needed to use the restroom. Excusing herself from Bash, she left the gym and made her way to the girls' restroom. Violet had followed her a moment later, breathless, as she leaned on the counter and fanned herself with a hand. Eloise worked on reapplying her lip gloss.

"You having fun?" She asked. "I've never seen you smile this much."

"Dan probably drugged me or something," Violet replied. "Or your _Pollyanna_ -ness finally infected me."

"I don't know what that means but I'm agreeing with it."

Violet snorted. "Are you having fun with Bash?"

"Yeah. Bash is great."

"Do you think you and Bash could be a real thing?"

"I don't know," She shrugged. "We're seventeen. Why are we so obsessed with finding our one true love already? I mean, we still have college and the rest of our lives to look forward to."

"Bullshit!" Violet slapped her hand on the counter. "You were all but planning your wedding to Dan in Sophomore Year and before that, it was Marcus Young."

"No need to list all my exes," Eloise was trying to fix her hair. "And I was wrong about all of them."

"So, you don't think Bash is going to be your great love that you tell your grandkids about?"

"I really don't know. Even your deck can't predict that," She said, moving closer to her friend. "What I do know is that no matter who we end up with, _we_ are forever."

"Endgame," Violet pulled her into a hug and Eloise appreciated it considering Violet rarely initiated their hugs. " _You're_ my great love. Don't tell, Dan."

Eloise laughed and pulled away, linking their arms as they exited the restroom.

"No promises."

* * *

After a few more dances, Bash wanted some fresh air and to take out the ear plugs for a few minutes so they went out to the parking lot. It was freezing and Bash handed her his blazer since werewolf internal heating was more than enough for the brisk weather. Violet and Dan had come along with the former practically dragged her sore feet.

"I'm hungry," She moaned. "Why don't they feed us at these things?"

"It is nearly ten," Dan replied. "Everything is closed."

"I can cook us something," Bash offered amiably which got him looks. "My dad loves to cook. He taught me."

"You've become even cuter," Eloise smiled at him. "I'll love you if you cook me a cheeseburger."

"Easy."

Eloise stopped at the trees leading to the woods, seeing that same Fae with the white blond hair.

"Violet!" She called out. "It's the Faerie guy."

Dan echoed, "Faerie?"

The Fae moved from the trees and unto the parking lot. He looked out of place, a creature of myth stark against a modern setting. He was also just plain creepy. She moved behind Bash, wanting a barrier between the two of them.

"What an interesting group," The Fae spoke finally. "A changeling, a witch, a werewolf, and a vampire all together,"

 _Vampire_? Eloise looked over to Dan who had gone pale. Violet didn't look surprised, just held on to his hand. She had a feeling she and Violet would need to talk about secrets again.

"The Faerie King wants to meet you, changeling," He continued. "He's very interested in what abilities you have."

"Sorry. She's busy for the next thousand years," Violet cut in. "Better luck next time."

"Quiet, _witch_ ," He glared at her. "We should've rid the world of witches years ago, treaty be damned."

"And we should've let that plague that nearly wiped out your kind do its job two hundred years ago," Violet countered. "Treaty be damned."

The Fae turned back to Eloise. "If you come willingly, I will not hurt your friends."

Bash, who had been quiet all this while, murmured to her, "I have a feeling he's a bad guy."

"Yeah, he definitely is," She whispered back before addressing the Fae. "No deal."

The Fae assessed her as if expecting this answer, vivid green eyes staring her down before he turned away and threw a knife at Dan. It hit him in the chest before she could've screamed.

* * *

Dan crumpled to the ground. Violet, the usual cool-headed one, panicked. The blade was fully embedded up to the hilt in Dan, blood coating Violet's fingers red when she touched his chest. Eloise was frozen in shock, staring in horror.

"That's one down," The Fae said. "You have two friends left."

Eloise was about to tell him to fuck off and leave them alone when Bash grabbed her and asked, "What's his weakness?"

She remembered meeting the Fae for the first time and Violet explained Faeries didn't like iron.

"Iron," She whispered, desperately. "He can't tolerate iron."

"Got it,"

Bash ran to a nearby pick-up truck and jumped onto the back. With a lug wrench in hand, he jumped down and ran back.

"You and me, sugarplum," He pointed the lug wrench like a sword at the Fae. "Let's go!"

Eloise could've kissed him.

The Fae looked at Bash liked he was nuisance he couldn't figure out. He addressed Eloise again. "Are you coming or not?"

Violet got up, looking like a wrathful Valkyrie. She grabbed Eloise's hand and the latter felt a gust of energy leave her body.

"No deal!"

The sky let out a loud boom of thunder before the largest lightning bolt any of them would ever see dropped from the sky and hit the Fae.

* * *

They weren't sure if the Fae was alive or not. He was on his back on the pavement and the thunder would've attracted people to the parking lot so they dumped his body in the trunk of Bash's car and made their way to the cabin. Bash drove as fast as he could, the car jostling as they drove into the woods. From the passenger's seat, Eloise watched Violet cry over Dan whose head was on her lap.

When they finally arrived, the car screeched to a halt, Bash not even bothering to park properly as they carried Dan from the car and towards the house. All the noise must've woken Meredith because she opened the front door, shocked to see them.

"Meredith," Eloise beseeched. "We need your help."

The older woman recovered quickly, opening the door wide open.

"Inside, quickly."

Meredith directed them to the kitchen table, clearing anything on it to make room. She moved around the room quickly, pulling out numerous potion bottles and handing them to Violet who had calmed down enough to assist her.

"Who did it?" Meredith demanded as she examined the blade embedded in his chest. "This is Fae metalwork."

"The Fae that we met a few weeks ago did it," Eloise explained. "He wanted me to leave with him and I said no and he…he did that."

"Where is he?"

"The trunk of my car," Bash answered. "Violet charred him with lightning."

Meredith gave a faint smile to her niece. "Good girl."

She stared down at the blade for a moment before grabbing the handle and pulling. The blood gushed from the wound like a macabre waterfall. Eloise had never seen so much blood. Bash looked like he was gonna be sick.

"Eloise," Meredith motioned for her to come nearer. "I need your blood."

"Why?"

"The blood of faerie-human hybrids has healing properties," She explained. "It's probably why the Fae tried to take you."

Eloise offered her arm and Meredith with the efficiency of a surgeon, cut a shallow wound on her forearm with a kitchen knife. They watched as blood slowly dripped down from her wound and unto Dan's mouth, his lips parted as he tried to breathe through the pain.

"And blood is needed by vampires," Eloise added, remembering what the Fae said in the parking lot. "That's what he is, right?"

Meredith stared at her before squeezing her forearm for more blood.

"Half-vampire," She clarified. "There's a big difference."

* * *

Dan's wound was healing at a miraculous pace. The open wound closing within an hour, color was even returning to his face. Luckily, the blade had missed his heart by an inch. Eloise and Bash sat on the wooden chairs at the kitchen table, still in their formal wear and felt drained. Violet had removed Dan's tie, blazer and shirt and was wiping away the blood on his torso with a wet cloth. Meredith was making them something to eat.

"Did you know he was part vampire all this time?" Eloise had to ask. She was so sick of all the secrets. Secrets were hiding more secrets in this town. "And you watched me date him for a half year?"

"I didn't at first," Violet explained, moving to the sink to change the bloody water in the bowl she was using. "And when I found out I was a little worried but Dan's harmless."

"Half-vampire is mostly just immunity to diseases and he gets anemic if he doesn't have blood for more than a month," Meredith chimed in. "It's not much different from a regular human."

"And his parents know?"

"They brought him to me when he was a baby. He was very sickly," The older woman explained over the pot of stew she was cooking. "Thankfully, his mother was a doctor and had access to blood at the hospital. They cook it in blood sausage."

"Kinda gross," Bash commented. "Eating blood,"

"Says the werewolf," Dan groaned out as he woke up. "At least I don't turn into a beast on the full moon."

Violet was at his side immediately, fussing over him as she tried to sit up. "Lie back down."

"And you really are a witch?" Dan scoffed as he followed her advice and plopped back down on the wood table. He looked over at Eloise. "Changeling?"

"Part-faerie," She corrected. "Turns out we're all just a bunch of freaks."

Bash piped up. "Welcome to the club."

* * *

Meredith had checked on the Fae and found that he wasn't dead. Faeries were notoriously hard to kill. With the help of Bash, they carried his body back in the woods to be found by one of his brethren. Bash had left the lug wrench back at the parking lot so he settled for giving the Fae a good kick in the side before they left him.

Dan was still weak and Bash helped him walk to the couch where Violet handed them bowls of Meredith's lamb stew to eat. Eloise had never eaten anything better in her life. She was still wearing her dirty dress and she felt disgusting. She needed a shower badly but she would rather die than not finish that bowl of soup first. Violet was helping Dan eat his soup and he seemed pleased with it.

"Florence Nightingale," He called her. "Are you gonna give me a sponge bath?"

"Already did," She returned. "You were passed out."

"Jesus Christ," He moaned in disappointment. "I missed it."

Meredith came over with bread she reheated. She passed out slices.

"I called your parents about what happened," She said. "They're coming to pick you up."

Dan and Bash groaned, knowing they weren't going to enjoy what happened next with their parents.

"And Daniel," Meredith continued. "You'll be receiving a call from your father soon. Your _undead_ father."

Dan grimaced. "What about?"

"I left a letter with the Fae stating who your father is. As he is a current coven leader, they are at risk of breaking the treaty among the two species."

"Like he would care if I died or not,"

"You'd be surprised," She countered. "At the very least, he will make sure that the Fae won't bother us for a very long time."

Still reeling that vampires were very much real, Eloise had to ask.

"How is that possible by the way? Can vampires have babies?"

"Vampires younger than a hundred years old have a one in a million chance of impregnating a human," Dan grimaced. "Lucky me,"

"I always knew you were a snowflake," Violet crooned. "Do you sparkle in the sun too?"

He rolled his eyes. "About as real as a unicorn,"

Eloise turned to Violet.

"Extinct. Hunted by the Fae."

"Mermaids?"

"Not here. They like warmer climates, particularly the Mediterranean."

Bash supplied, "Trolls?"

"Not real."

Dan quipped, "Dragons?"

Violet sighed, miserable.

"Still not real,"

* * *

Bash's and Dan's parents arrived and after much fussing, brought them home. Eloise and Violet finally cleaned up and were changed in their pajamas, lying in bed and trying to fall asleep. The sun was already rising and their brains were too wired from earlier events to let them sleep. There was just too much to unpack.

"What a month, huh?" Eloise remarked. "They never said Junior year would be this crazy."

"Other people aren't supernatural creatures," Violet returned. "And it's only October. We have the rest of the school year to deal with."

"And college," Eloise added. "And the rest of our lives,"

"We'll be fine," Violet assured her. "We'll be just fine."

"We're still endgame?"

"Yep."

Eloise smiled at her and Violet returned it. Here they were at the periphery of adulthood and childhood. They both knew they would be fine as long as they had each other. And in that moment, that was all they needed.

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to Allyssa. You are the Eloise to my Violet.
> 
> The Nietzsche quote Dan was referencing is "When you stare in the abyss, the abyss stares back at you".
> 
> If you've been living under a rock, Star Wars is an epic space-opera media franchise created by George Lucas. And as disclaimer, I actually don't have anything against Star Wars.
> 
> Monty Python's Flying Circus is a British surreal sketch comedy series.
> 
> An American Werewolf in London is a 1981 British-American comedy horror film with David Naughton as the titled werewolf.
> 
> Pollyanna is a 1913 novel by Eleanor H. Porter. The titled character is known to be excessively cheerful and optimistic despite anything that happens to her.
> 
> Florence Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing and is most famous for her nursing work during the Crimean war.
> 
> When Violet asks if Dan sparkles in the sun is an obvious reference to the Twilight saga.


End file.
